Alfalfa loader



Dec. 1, 1931. F. SOMMERFELD ALFALFA LOADER Inventor i leazzkarfiimzmerzwd,

. Q By llomey Filed June 11, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l ALFALFA LOADER Filed June 11, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l gummma A llomey Dec. 1, 1931. F. SOMMERFELD ALFALFA LOADER Filed June 11, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor J60 zfiariifmzmerfeid A lfomey Dec. 1, 1931. F' sQMMERFELD 1,834,477

ALFALFA LOADER File June 11, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor jwzzfiarffiwizmerfdd,

A llorney i Patented Dec. 1, 1931 i UNITED- STATES;

' ,LEonHAn'r F.;S01\IMERFELD, on ohnron; KANSAS, assrenon on ONE-THIRD H, G. new, or MQPHERSON, KANSAS 1 PATENT oFFIcE :IALFALFA LoAnEn I Application filed. June 11, 1930; Seria1"1\To.:460,439

' 'This invention relates to an "alfalfa loader and has for itsfprime objecttojprovide a wheeled structure for picking 'up alfalfa from the ground and elevating it for delivery to the side of the wheeled structure. on to a rack, wagon or the like. i

Another very important object of the invention resides in the .provisionof an endless conveyor structure for moving the alfalfa having a-portion thereof disposed on an incline with elongated plates spring pressed against the upper run of the elevating portions. i A. still further very important object of the invention resides in the provision of an alfalfa loader of this nature which is exceedingly simple in its construction, strong and durable, thoroughly efiicient and reliable in use and operation, and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description'proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts,

, as will be hereinaftermore fully described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a loader embodying the features of my invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is'another transverse section showing particularly the endless conveyor,

Figure 6 is a'detail longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 66 of F igure 1,

be seen that the wheeled frame comprises pair of longitudinal members and 6 both of which are olfs-et upwardly at their front ends to provide extensions 7 and 8 respec-' tively the front extremities of which are I mounted on the front wheeled truck 9. The side 5 is longer than the side 6. andextends rearwardly terminating in alateral extension 10, the side member '11 has an inter mediate portion engaged as at 12 with the .end of the extension 10tand the forward portion of this side member ll' inclines downwardly and forwardly-as at 14:;

on the rear end portion of the side member 11 is an adjustable weight element 15.

A. transverse conveyor frame comprises a horizontal portion 17 and an inclined portion 18. Theextension 14 is securedtothe frame portion 17 and a member 19-has an other end of the axle shaft21 to the outer side of the member 19. A brace rod 24: is

gear'25 is rotatable on the axis shaft21 and has a clutch segment 26 fixed thereto for en gagement by a slidable clutch segment27 splined' on theaxle shaft and actuatable by a rockable cam element 28 having a crank 29"controlled by a rod 30 leading to a lever 31 on the portion 8 of the. side member 6. a,

A seat 33 is mounted on a cross member 34 on the extensions 7 and 8 so that the lever 31'is easily accessible.

A plurality of ground engaging,

are denoted generally by the letter G and comprise bottom portions 36 which merge into upwardly and rearwardlyinclined extensions 37. At the rear ends the ground engaging portions 36 merge; into ,upstanding portions 37 attached to a rod 39 in brackets 40 secured to the front of the horizontal frame portion, 17,. .q

I A beater B is formed with an elongated hub 40 having a plurality of fingers .41 radi ating therefrom a group between each pair of guides G and to the outer sides of the endmost guides G. The hub is mounted on a shaft 42 ournalled in brackets e8 projecting from the front of the frame member 17.

A beveled pinion 6L5 on the shaft 42 meshes with a beveled pinion 46 on a shaft 47 which has a universal coupling 48 with a shaft l9 journalled in a bracket 50 and having a pinion 51 thereon in mesh with the gear 25. An endless belt 52 is trained over rollers 53, 54c and 55 in the frame members 17 and 18 and guide rollers 56 engage the side edge portions of the endless belt immediately above the roller 54. The roller 54 is on the shaft 47. The shaft 17 is operatively connected with the roller 55 by chain and sprocket mechanism 59. A plurality of cross slats 60 are provided on the endless belt. A plurality of pressure elongated plates 60 have their lower ends curved as at 61 and have rods 62 extending therefrom to be slidable through inverted U-shaped frames 64: and springs 65 are disposed about the rods 62 to press the plates 60 downwardly on the upper rims of the endless belt in the frame portion 18 to keep the alfalfa thereon in its upward movement. The frames 64 have their ends straddling the frame portion 18 and secured thereto. From the above detailed description it will be seen that this machine may be pulled along by any suitable draft means and will pick up the alfalfa from the ground and the beater will throw the alfalfa up along the inclined portions 37 of the guide G on to the horizontal portion of the upper run of the end less belt so as to be conveyed upwardly to the side of this machine and dumped on to a rack, wagon or the like.

It is thought that the construction, utility and advantages of this invention will now be quite apparent to those skillee in this art without a more detailed description thereof.

The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in considerable detail merely for the purposes of exemplification since in actual practice it attains the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description.

It will be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope-of the invention as hereinafter claimedor sac rificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

A hay or grain loader of theclass described comprising a wheel supported structure, a transversely disposed endless conveyor mechanism thereon and including a horizontal lower-part and an upwardly and outwardly elevated portion, a plurality of rake members extending forwardly from the horizontal portion and each including a horizontal ground engaging part and an upwardly and rearwardly extending part connected at its front end Withthefront endofthe ground engaging part, said rake members being spaced apart, a drum rotatably supported between the upper and lower portions of the rake members, fingers on the drum arranged in groups, each group located between a pair of rake members, inverted U-shaped members having the extremities of the limbs connected to the side parts of the elevated part of the conveyor mechanism, a plurality of strips located above the said elevated portion of the conveyor mechanism and having their lower ends curving upwardly, rods connecting the said strips and. passing through the bight portions of the U-shaped members, springs on the rods between the strips and said bight portions and means for rotating the drum and for actuating the conveying mechanism from oneof the ground wheels of the struc ture.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LEONHAR-T F. SOMMER-FELD. 

